Florence Hotel D'Annunzio - Parks

GARDEN OF BOBOLI

The GARDEN OF BOBOLI did not become well-known until that became property of the Medic' Family that called Niccolò Pericoli, known as Tribolo, to plan it; this artist created an architectural masterpiece of panorama between 1550 and 1558. The park, that does part of Palace Pitti, was planned to occupy a scenografic position on the slope of the hill of Boboli and moreover it has a front square access. The park was then enriched with a lot of inventions by Buontalenti (like the Large Cave), fountains and statues by Ammannati, Giambologna and Tacca and completed by Giulio and Alfonso Parigi (1631-1656). The two architects, father and son, performed the amphitheatre, scenery for a lot famous theatrical performances, the avenue of the cypresses known as "Viottolone" and the square and the pool "dell' Isolotto". The last additions, like for example the house of the caffé (1774-76), the meadow of the columns and the limoneria (1785) were introduced from the family Lorriane. Pietro Leopoldo decided to open the garden to the public in 1776. The project of the Boboli Gardemn was used like base for the real gardens in Europe, inclusive Versailles. Address: Piazza Pitti, 1 Opening hours: Winter: all week (except Monday) from 9,00am to 4.30pm. Summer: all week (except Monday) from 09.00am to 06,30 Phone: 055 2651816 Ticket: 4 Euros

PARCO DELLE CASCINE

The first unit of the island Summer, known today like Park delle Cascine, was bought from the duke Alessandro in half of 1500. The island was then enlarged from Cosimo I. The current name of the park comes from the presence of farms in the island, that were for the more dedicated to the breeding of animals. Since the beginning of 17° century the park has been ruling from a majestic avenue of trees, at first known like the Avenue of the Pines and subsequently like the Avenue of the King. Underneath Pietro Leopoldo the park was reorganized with the addition of the instrumentations from garden and a house of guard. It was open also to the public, but only for special events and for the day of the ascent. It was conceived essentially like a wild area of whom the only fixed structure was a little house for the hunting built by Manetti G. in 1786 where the arciduca and its family lived. The following year, in occasion of the marriage of the arciduchessa Maria Teresa, all the old buildings had been demolished. In the second half of 18° century the arciduchessa Elisa opened to the public the garden, giving to the town an immense green area very different from the gardens of the palaces of the town. Moreover, the arciduchessa created a new entrance at the park on Porta al Prato, where the "Baluardo del Serpe" was hung up. In the meanwhile the road parallel to the river was paved. In 19° century the gardens of the Cascine had been planned in a romantic style and appeared very different from how they are today. Besides, in the course of 19° wide areas of the park had been transformed in sporty areas and tracks race. Address: Parco delle Cascine Opening hours: always open Ticket: free entrance

GIARDINO DELL'IRIS

The entrance in the Garden of the iris in Florence is in the point in which Viale dei Colli meets Michelangelo Square. The garden has more of 2.500l vary of flowers that symbolized the city since from 1251. Address: Piazzale Michelangelo entrance Opening hours: from 2nd May to 20th May (Monday- Friday:10-12,30; 15-19. Week-End: 10-19) Phone: 055 483112

GIARDINO DELLE ROSE

In 1865 the town of Florence asked to Giuseppe Poggi, the architect that planned the reconstruction of what would have been capital of the kingdom of Italy, to dedicate its caution to the left shore of the river Arno. It was inaugurated in the May of 1895, during the Party of the Attractive Arts. Address: viale Giuseppe Poggi 2 Opening hours: best in May Phone: 055 2625305